We are delighted to share some brilliant news: Recruitment Robin has been named a West Midlands finalist for T Level Employer of the Year at the National Apprenticeship & Skills Awards 2026.
And there is even more to celebrate. Mia Howard, a Legal Services T Level student at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG), has also been shortlisted as a West Midlands finalist for T Level Student of the Year after completing her studies and industry placement with us.
To have both our business and Mia recognised together is a proud moment. More than that, it is proof that when you give young people real responsibility, proper support and the chance to get stuck in, they can do brilliant things.
Real workplace learning, not box-ticking
We introduced T Level industry placements in November 2023 as part of our wider workforce development strategy. Like many employers across Staffordshire and the West Midlands, we know skills shortages are not going away any time soon. Sitting around waiting for the perfect candidate is not much of a plan, is it?
So we took a different approach. Instead of treating students as observers, we embedded them into live business operations from day one.
That means real work, real accountability and real learning. Students have supported everything from recruitment admin and candidate communication to interview coordination, events, marketing activity and workflow improvement projects. It gives them hands-on experience while giving our team fresh ideas and extra capacity too.
High support, high challenge
A good placement needs more than a spare desk and a rushed handover. That is why our programme is built around a high-support, high-challenge model led by our Managing Director, Selina Rudzik.
Students get a structured induction, clear objectives, regular reviews, mentoring and the chance to take ownership of meaningful work. In short, they are supported properly, but not wrapped in cotton wool.
The results so far
Since launching the programme, we have hosted:
- 8 T Level students
- 7 work experience students
- 100% placement retention and completion
That is not just a nice stat for the page. It reflects a programme that is working in the real world. Students have contributed to client support, process improvements, automation projects and successful recruitment activity, while building confidence and practical workplace skills along the way.
You can read more about how we support developing talent through our T Level and apprenticeship resources.
Mia Howard’s journey
Mia joined us as a Legal Services T Level student with ambitions of a future career in policing. During her placement, she worked as a Recruitment Assistant supporting Selina across client and candidate delivery, handling live tasks and representing Recruitment Robin at careers fairs, employer meetings and networking events.
She quickly grew in confidence and capability, to the point where she was also helping mentor other T Level and work experience students. That kind of progress does not happen by accident.
Her standout achievement came through our pro-bono recruitment campaign fora local homelessness charity. Mia interviewed 12 candidates, supported the shortlisting and coordination process, liaised with both client and candidates, and helped secure a successful Support Worker hire.
This was not practice for the sake of it. It was a live campaign, with real people and a real outcome, and Mia handled it with maturity, empathy and professionalism.
Since completing her placement, she has also gone on to launch her own profitable business, which says plenty about the drive and initiative she developed during her time with us.
Championing T Levels across Staffordshire
Our commitment to T Levels goes beyond our own placements. Through Selina’s wider advocacy work, including her role as Employer Engagement Officer at NSCG, we have helped introduce more than 20 employers to T Levels and supported more than 50 businesses through workforce discussions and employer engagement activity.
In other words, we are not just talking about talent pipelines — we are helping local employers build them.
Looking ahead
The West Midlands Regional Ceremony takes place on Thursday 8 October 2026 at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield. We are looking forward to celebrating alongside Mia, NSCG and the other finalists from across the region.
Whatever happens on the night, this double shortlisting is already a huge milestone for us. It celebrates Mia’s achievement, our team’s commitment and the wider value of giving students meaningful opportunities in real workplaces.
